Thank you all for coming on this ride with me. I wanted to update this story every 2 or 3 weeks, and I hope I can keep that up!
For a moment, it was as if he had stepped back in time. As Yuri led his group through Vallais' main gate, it was the little things, like the intricately carved columns of the gate, the peddlers selling pots of fresh gardenias, and the cobblestones of the town's main street that stood out to him. The people of Vallais milled in and out of the many stores and taverns, occasionally mingling with out-of-town merchants and travelers. Musicians fiddled away on street corners, mothers ushered their children along the road, and young apprentices ran between the crowds, on orders from their superiors.
It reminded Yuri of the time when he was a boy, out on orders from the Varley estate's head gardener. When Horace von Varley was present, only simple roses were to be planted. When Lise von Varley was home, they were allowed to go out and buy sunflower buds, begonias, and even bluebells. And when Bernadetta's birthday was on the horizon, he bought belladonnas and violets, all to be painstakingly taken care of for the little heir.
A few steps forward was a gleaming banner that bore the crest of Seiros. The church was still there, with its pointed room and stained glass windows. What was surprising was the sign on the building next to it, which read: 'The Physicians of Saint Cethleann'.
"I thought Varley stopped dealing with the Church after the Insurrection of the Seven?" Armand asked out loud. He was walking beside Yuri, pulling his horse along by the reins. He was shorter than Yuri, younger too, and had yet to finish puberty. His face was plain and unassuming, but his eyes were sharp and intelligent. There's a reason he was such a good scout. He caught Yuri's sidelong glance and shrugged. "My family was from Aegir territory. Everyone knew what the nobles did to the former Emperor, even the commoners."
"That was the case, yes," Yuri said as they weaved between priestesses and physicians, doing their best to avoid stepping on their white robes which trailed along the ground. "But since the change in Archbishop, the Varley government has actually tried to mend their ties with the Church. Look around. When was the last time you saw this many healers and bishops in a single town?" There was even some who bore the crest of Seiros on their robes, a symbol which indicated that they were representative of the Central Church.
"Count Varley's been busy." Armand bit his lip. "You don't think the count—"
Yuri cut him off. "Don't even finish that sentence. The count supported the King in the war, abandoning Emperor Edelgard in the process. There's no reason for her to commit treason against Fódlan. And besides, she doesn't have the stomach to order the things we've seen." He sighed. "Nor the heart for it."
"What was that?"
"Probably your stomach growling. You and Hapi never have enough to eat."
As they walked further into town, Yuri had to actively stop his crew from pickpocketing every person they saw. While the outer streets of Vallais hosted regular commoners like themselves, the inner streets signaled a wealthier class division with wealthier residents. The first buildings they had seen, though not impoverished by any means, were made out of wooden planks, and those in the center of the town were made out of thick stone. There were fewer blacksmiths and more tailors, fewer pedestrians and more horses outfitted with shining leather saddles.
Right now, Yuri was just thankful that no one took a second glance at him, even with his stand-out purple hair.
Might have to thank Bernadetta for that one, he thought. With all the changes made to the town, the new visitors it attracted, and the fact that the new lord of the land herself had an unusual hair color, Yuri and his group passed through as if they were normal travelers.
They stopped at a tavern in the inner circle of the town. As loyal as Yuri's followers were, they'd also been traveling for two weeks straight, so Yuri figured they deserved a good tavern meal and ale. The owner of the tavern eyes the crew wearily as he walked around the bar, but raised an eyebrow at the half dozen steeds the scouts brought with them.
"A good eye for horses, I see," Yuri said smoothly.
The man nodded. "Was a farmhand before coming to Vallais. I know a good steed when I see one."
"Then I hope you don't mind we leave them nearby." Yuri flashed the man a grin. "I wouldn't want to risk anyone pilfering them away while we dine at your fine establishment."
"Tie them to the wall outside. No one'll bother them if they're near my place." He waved a hand to shuffle the group inside.
"How generous of you." Yuri walked in and commandeered a fair few tables near the tavern's entrance. They got some looks from some of the other patrons, but Yuri ignored them. Instead, he took a glance around the tavern itself. There were two exits, the main door and one that led to the kitchen, large barrels filled with wine and ale that lined two of the tavern walls, and a large banner at the end of the room that bore the crest of Indech.
The banner caught his eye. Yuri hadn't lived in Vallais for very long, but even he recognized the difference. Instead of the bright silver background, the crest was imposed on a solid black tapestry, giving the crest a foreboding look. Even the air about the tavern seemed subdued, despite the fair amount of customers. Conversations were quiet, patrons spoke in low voices, and a fair few of the candles had been blown out to create a more melancholy atmosphere.
Yuri left his crew to read through the tavern's menu and sat down at the corner of the bar. Just next to his seat was a middle-aged man in long white robes, and in front of him were half a dozen empty ale jugs. His companions, also in white robes, were talking between each other, half-ignoring their tipsy friend. The man swayed slightly, but not enough that Yuri feared he would tip over, making the man a perfect target.
Yuri himself ordered an ale as the man demanded another half dozen. Yuri took a loud sip of his drink, and finally, the man turned to look at him. Yuri looked away, letting his eyes fall on the Indech banner once more. "Who died?" He asked.
The man barked out a loud laugh. He had long hair tied into a tight bun at the base of his head, exposing a bulging vein on the side of his neck. Once his chuckling had subsided, he smiled as he raised his ale to his lips. "Lady Varley."
Yuri froze. "What?"
"You haven't heard? She was sick for several moons." The man downed half of his ale. "It was about time for her to pass on. Heh, not like anyone will miss her much."
Yuri didn't feel the dagger enter his palm. What he did feel was how he yanked on the man's robes, pulling him low enough towards the bar that Yuri could press the dagger's point into the man's neck.
"What are you—"
"You better not be messing with me right now, because I'm telling you, you do not want to be on my bad side." With his free arm, Yuri drew his cape over them, as if he were warmly greeting an old friend. That covered the view of the back, and the large stack of ale mugs covered the front view. The man's companions hardly noticed anything, saying to each other that Yuri must've been an acquittance or that their friend was already half-passed out.
"I-I'm not lying! I swear!" Tipsy as the man was, he was sharp enough to retain some of his senses. He spoke urgently but quietly, knowing that if he made any wrong move, Yuri would be able to do very unpleasant things to him. "Lady Varley was sick. The count even came out for her funeral!"
Yuri's hand stilled for a moment, before pressing the dagger down once again, letting the tip edge along the man's bulging vein. "The count?"
"Yes! She came out for the funeral but went back into her estate as soon as it was over. She's been 'mourning' ever since. If that's even what she's doing." Yuri stared into the man's face. His eyes were wide with panic, but he didn't lick his lips or twitch his face unless Yuri's dagger pressed itself even closer to his neck. The man was certainly tipsy, but he wasn't lying. Yuri pulled back the dagger.
The man sighed aloud and straightened himself out. He was shaking slightly, but not as bad as Yuri might've expected. The lightweight grabbed his ale once more and took a long drag.
"How long ago was this?" Yuri asked, determined to get as much information as he could before the man became fully drunk.
"A fortnight ago." The priest lowered his voice even further, and his eyes were starting to lose focus. "Honestly, she should have moved on by now. Not that we can expect much from the Bear of Varley."
He definitely didn't mean for Yuri to hear that, so he pretended he didn't. Instead, he took a long sip of his ale and stared away from the man. "You're a physician, aren't you?"
"Yes, I am. I even studied at the Monastery." He redid his bun and returned to his drink, attempting to shuffle back into his air of drunken superiority.
"Then you should know how your new count has improved relationships with the Church and has actually worked to make the territory a new hub for those in your position. You must've moved here, what, four months ago?"
The priest eyed him. "I didn't expect a vagrant like yourself to keep up to date with news of the territory."
"Not well enough, apparently," Yuri whispered.
"What was—"
"I suggest you watch what you say about Count Varley, considering she's the reason you have a position here at all." Yuri finished his drink and stood up from the bar, making sure to give the priest a good shove when doing so. "And don't shame her for grieving her mother. I don't know about you, but I'd say that's quite unbecoming for someone who's supposed to be a healer."
The man chuckled and raised his voice, loud enough for the entire tavern to hear. "I'd rather not expect much from the count. If we're lucky, we'll see the bear once more this year, then we'll have to wait for next spring!" Most of the tavern whispered awkwardly, but the man's companions cheered as if finally noticing their friend was sitting right next to them.
Yuri went straight for the tavern's exit, Armand hot on his heels. Once outside, Armand shook his head. "He's still smiling." It was both a question and a slight accusation.
Yuri reached beneath his cloak and pulled out a satin coin sack that jingled with the sound of gold. "He'll stop when he finds he can't pay his bar tab." He bounced the heavy bag in his hand a couple of times before tossing the pouch to Armand. "Get the crew anything they want. After that, head to an inn we can actually afford. No need to tell me where, I'll figure it out on my own."
"Don't tell me you're seeing the count on her own? General, you can't—"
"I decide what I can and cannot do." Yuri shook his head. "Remember, I know the count. She'll be much more open to talking if it's just me showing up."
"She trusts you that much?"
Yuri turned away. "Foolishly, yes," he said under his breath, and walked away.
Yuri trotted briskly through the city streets, retracing the route from memory. Left at the weapon's stall, right at the elixir shop, and straight ahead down Indech St.. He wasn't in a hurry to get there, not at all, but he may as well get there before he got in any trouble. If there's trouble there'd be a hassle, word might reach the count, and then Bernadetta would get more worked up than she already was.
Yuri couldn't have that. He had a reputation to protect.
Finally, after endless buildings and masses of people to get through, Yuri arrived at the estate's entrance. Yuri approached the entrance's outer gate, easily sliding past a guard who was distracted by a scuffle on the street.
"Halt!" Another guard appeared next to the iron inner gate, which, unfortunately for Yuri, had been lowered. There's no way he could charge ahead alone, not without Balthus' brute strength. "State your name and business."
"Yuri Leclerc. I'm here to ask for an audience with Count Varley."
Thank the Goddess the clerk didn't correct him. He didn't inform Yuri of any tragic news, just ran off to talk to the guard on the other side of the gate.
But then they made Yuri wait.
Granted, it for only for a few minutes, but it made Yuri's hairs stand on edge. It would be so simple for him to enter on his own. Just one Foul Play and he could swap places with the guard. He'd be in, could march straight to Bernadetta, then convince her to not having him immediately arrested.
This is getting ridiculous. Yuri had just about raised his hand, fingers in place to activate Foul Play, when a stewardess came to stand in front of him.
"LeClerc?" Through the iron gate, he could see that the stewardess was on the older side, roughly the same age as his mother. She had a kind face, but held herself upright and stared at Yuri with accusing eyes.
"The one and only."
"I must say that, unfortunately, you are not 'the one and only', and I can't let you in."
"What are you talking about?" Sure, he could've used more tact, but Yuri was tired and didn't have the patience for people getting in his way. "My name is Yuri, Yuri Leclerc. I am here to speak with Bernadetta von Varley. Now, will you let me in or do I have to find a way in myself?"
"You are not the first to arrive and claim to be the Savage Mockingbird." The stewardess crossed her arms. "I'd rather not cause my lady any further distress, which is what will happen if you 'find a way in' yourself."
Yuri was half tempted to huff and walk away. But… She was right. It wouldn't do anything good for Bernadetta, and it'd probably take him longer to find a new way in than to play this idiotic game. "Then what do you want? A letter from the Archbishop herself?"
"There was once a time my lady knew you by a different name. What was it?"
Yuri's mouth hung open. Sheepishly, he rubbed the back of his head. "Can't believe she actually told someone that."
It was an alias he's never used since, and hearing it just now brought his mind back to that fateful night. The night where he has almost done the unthinkable. But if he wanted to see Bernadetta, it was the information he had to give.
He sighed. "Alright then."
"Lady Varley, can you please come out? There are matters we need to discuss."
"No!" Bernadetta yelled through her door. She was standing right in front of it, her hands balled into fists at her side, as if it would help when they couldn't even see her. "How many times to I have to tell you? Just slide everything under my door. Isn't that enough for you? Oh no. Are my notes too messy? Did I accidentally fire someone?!"
"No, Count Varley. But waiting for you to write everything takes time. You need to start giving your orders in person. To us. Your officials."
"This works just fine! It is working, right? Oh no. I've made you mad! Now you're all gonna quit!" Bernadetta grabbed the ends of her hair and pulled. Hard. "No, no, no. Stupid Bernie! Can't even keep people from quitting."
Bernadetta could hear the official mumble under his breath, and that only made it worse. "Count—"
"Lady Bernadetta." Jeanne's voice cut through the man's words, calm as ever. "There's someone here for you."
"Ack! Who is it? Is it a messenger? An assassin? Or is it a ghost? Oh no. it's a ghost, isn't it? It's my mother come to haunt me!" Bernadetta fell to the floor of her room and buried her head in her arms. "Forgive me, Mother! I'm sorry! Bernie's sorry!"
"It is a Yuri Leclerc, my lady. He's waiting for you in the main hall."
"Yuri? In the main hall?" Bernadetta lifted her head. A small fluttering of hope built itself up in her chest, and she slowly raised herself up. Her nerves still raged within her, but it was different now. She clasped her hands and held them close to her chest. "Did he give another name?"
"Germain."
Bernie fumbled with the lock before launching the door open. Running past Jeanne and the official, she sprinted her way down the corridor, jumping around servants and guards who were milling about. Whispers trailed after her, but for once, Bernadetta didn't care what was being said about her.
Please, please, she thought. Please tell me this one's him.
She ran all the way to the main hall, entering through a side door that was made specifically for the count's use. It let her peek out from behind the tall columns that stood at the back of the room, using long velvet banners to hide her figure. She took a steadying breath and looked out.
In the center of the hall was a tall man with a long cape that nearly skimmed the stone floor beneath him. To his side was a long sword that, despite being sheathed, Bernadetta could tell was worn from use based on the weathered hilt. Daggers lined his belt, ready to be pulled out at a moment's notice. Bernadetta raised her eyes upwards and looked at his face.
It was the same face she remembered from Garreg Mach. It was long and gorgeous, with fine features that made him look almost like a delicate maiden. His face seemed neutral, but his eyes kept darting from side to side, looking at every door he could see from his spot. If it were anyone else, Bernadetta would say he almost looked anxious. His eyelids were painted with a familiar shade of bright pink, and his hair and eyes were the same bright purple they had always been.
It was him.
"Yuri!" Bernadetta sprung from between the banners and ran at him.
He focused on her immediately, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Hey, Bernade—"
Bernadetta wrapped her arms around his middle and held on tightly. With absolutely no shame, she buried her face into his shirt, hiding herself within him. Her chest heaved with a shaky sigh, but that didn't matter.
"Hi," she said, unable to get any more words out.
"Long time no see, Bernadetta." Yuri wrapped his own arms around her, pressing her even closer to him. "You look good."
"And that's how I got to work for the King himself." Yuri reached back and let his hands rest at the nape of his neck. "There's little in the way of direct missions, but as long as I'm doing something that helps keep the peace among commoners, my crew and I are free to do as I please. Provided were send reports, of course."
"Dimitri lets you do that? With no oversight? Whoa." Bernadetta straightened herself up in her seat. There's no way anyone would let her do that, even if she was the count. But of course, Yuri could do it. It seemed more and more like there wasn't anything he couldn't do.
"The King trusts me. I think it also helps that Dimitri knows of my particular reputation. He figured that it'd be better to assign someone who already had connections with the underground, and he knows I have a personal stake in this."
Yuri reached out and took another sip of the tea she'd poured for him. They had moved into a sunroom that was further inside the Varley estate, far away from prying eyes. When Bernadetta wasn't in her room, aside from the estate's library, this was her favorite place to relax. Sun shone through the wall-length windows, illuminating the many plants and benches that were spread throughout the room. She and Yuri sat at a table in the center, picking at tarts and cakes that Bernadetta had ordered from the kitchen. Yuri seemed to enjoy the baked treats, in particular, seeing as how he had eaten four of them already. He must've been starving! Bernadetta even brought out one of her favorite teas, an Albinean berry blend, which she remembered he also enjoyed during their tea sessions with the professor.
"That's amazing, Yuri!" Bernadetta exclaimed. "I could never do that. I can barely leave my room, but you go everywhere! I'm too much of a coward to even leave Varley."
"You fought a whole war, Bernadetta. I think that's more than enough to prove you're not a coward. But enough about me." Yuri set down his tea and folded his hands on the table. His tone turned more serious, but it was not without kindness. "I… want to give my condolences. About your mother."
"Oh." Bernadetta's throat closed up. "Thank you."
"Was it peaceful?"
"Um, yeah. It was. I was there. Until the end."
"And here you say you're a coward." Yuri shook his head, the light from the window making his hair shine even brighter. "That takes guts, whether you realize it or not. You alright?"
"I guess." Bernadetta fiddled with the rim of her cup. "I'm trying to convince people to just let me do everything from my room. There's no issue with it, I mean, I write down them the same thing I would have told if we were face-to-face! But nothing's ever enough for them."
"As your officials, they do have a right to ask to see you."
"Traitor!"
"But." Yuri lifted a hand. "Your mom just died. I think you deserve to get a bit more sympathy than that. Having a sick mom… Is hard. I can't imagine having to let her go and then be expected to go back to work like nothing happened."
Bernadetta sighed in relief. "Thank you. I thought you were gonna tell me the opposite." She furrowed her eyebrows. "You're talking like you know what it's like."
"I said enough about me." Yuri leaned forward, but when he smiled, something was off. It looked more similar to those fake grins he'd put on during the war, like when he had to convince his battalion to charge headfirst into Fort Merceus. It was too wide and didn't reach his eyes. Bernadetta wanted to ask him about it but held her tongue.
He doesn't wanna talk about it. If I ask, he could get annoyed and just leave. What if he finds it offensive? What if I make him talk about something terrible? He'll think I'm too insensitive! He'll never wanna talk to me again! Ack! I never should've said anything. Now he'll hate me forever and—
"Hellooo, Yuri to Bernadetta."
"Ack! I'm here!" Bernadetta jumped back in her seat. Yuri's hand paused in midair, just a few fingers away from her face. He pulled it back and went to his tea as if nothing happened, but Bernadetta wished that she could just blend into the plants behind her. If she could only turn into a pitcher plant! Then no one could ever find her! "Wait," she said suddenly. "What are you doing here? I thought you said you were in western Faerghus?"
"Actually, that's something I need to talk to you about." Yuri shifted himself slightly, setting down his cup.
Bernadetta pouted. "As long as you're not here to kill me."
"Luckily, it's nothing of the sort. I fear it's something worse."
"Then don't say 'luckily'! That is not lucky!"
"Alright, alright." Yuri sighed, and from one of his many pockets, he pulled out a small object that was wrapped in a thick layer of cloth. "The thing is, I need your help."
He passed the cloth to Bernadetta. Carefully she unwrapped the object, revealing something she thought she would never see again in her lifetime.
As Bernadetta inspecting the shining red crest stone, Yuri filled her in on everything that had happened. The missing villagers, the demonic beast, the crest stone, and how the tracks directed the mysterious group straight to Vallais.
Bernadetta turned the crest stone in her gloved hands. "And you think these guys are in Varley? That's… That's not good at all."
"No, it's not." Yuri agreed. "I don't know why they've come here, and I don't know the area well enough to launch a full investigation on my own. The town's changed in the years I've been away. It'll be easier if I have someone with me who knows the area inside out."
Bernadetta was filled with some kind of emotion. She couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it made her feel warm. "So what you're saying is… you need me?"
"I need someone who knows the area, and who better than the Count of Varley? Besides." Yuri's smirk grew. "You could use me. Unless you'd rather have another shady group roaming through Vallais and possibly terrorizing your people."
"I don't want that! Wait, what do you mean another?"
"Well, I wouldn't consider my group to be particularly upstanding. Much less myself."
"Don't say that!" Bernadetta balled her fists. "I wouldn't believe you anyway."
Yuri raised an eyebrow at her. "You do realize who you're talking to? The Savage Mockingbird, the disgraced former Academy student sent to Abyss, the guy who probably would have killed you when we were children if I hadn't gotten to you know."
"Yeah." Bernadetta looked away for a moment, but then returned her gaze towards him, looking him dead in the eye. "But you did get to know me. And you're also Yuri. You're my friend, right?"
For a moment, Yuri was silent as his eyes cycled through a dozen emotions that Bernadetta couldn't quite pin down. He pressed his lips together and said, just loud enough for Bernie to hear, "Right."
"So… I trust you." And she meant it. She really did.
Finally, Yuri's mouth quirked upwards and he tilted his head to one side. "Gee, Bernadetta. I didn't know you were so eager to trust the man you thought would drown you in a freezing ocean. You sure I didn't put something in your tea?"
"Yuri!"
Yuri laughed, quick and bright. And Bernie laughed too. Because as Yuri's face smoothed into a grin, she knew that smile was real.